Over-cap with molded trigger and air seal cap for the spray orifice



May 5, 1970 R. L. DOYLE OVER-CAP WITH MOLDED TRIGGER AND AIR SEAL CAP FOR THE SPRAY ORIFICE 2 Sheets-sneer, 1

Filed March 11, 1968 iiliii FIG. 2

FIG. 3

R085 L. DOYLE INVENTOR.

y 5, 1970 R. 1.. DOYLE 3,510,029

OVER-CAP WITH MOLDED TRIGGER AND AIR SEAL CAP FOR THE SPRAY ORIFICE Filed March 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sneet 2 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

I l M United States Patent 3,510,029 OVER-CAP WITH MOLDED TRIGGER AND AIR SEAL CAP FOR THE SPRAY ORIFICE Ross L. Doyle, Ramsey, N.J., assignor to Sterling Drug Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 711,994 Int. Cl. B65d 83/00 US. Cl. 222402.12 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spray container having an over-cap including a molded trigger for operating the valve stem of the container and an air seal closure cap for the orifice of the spray device, maintaining it unclogged by sealing the orifice from the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the use of spray cans, particularly those which spray product formulations of high solid content, e.g., antiperspirants, paints, starches, etc., the spray orifices of the aerosol actuators often become clogged due to exposure to the atmosphere, and although. such devices may be provided with removable protective caps, such caps are very seldom reapplied correctly, and in any event are not sealed with relation to the spray device.

There have been attempts to solve this problem examples of which are US. Pats. 3,146,922, 3,155,291 and 3,161,331. However these devices have had little success due to the fact that in the first two instances a fixed cover member is provided so that when the aerosol actuator button is moved to actuate the aerosol valve, the orifice thereof moves away from the fixed cover to an orifice in the cover. The hoped for sealing effect is not obtained because it depends upon close contact with the area of the aerosol button surrounding the orifice and the fixed cover, and this is easily disturbed and as a matter of fact is often ineffective even when the device is not used. In the third example above, the device comprises a snap-open rubber type of closure in an overall cap which is actuated to open when the aerosol button is moved to actuate the aerosol valve, but again this is not a positive action and often operates imperfectly both in spraying the product and in sealing the orifice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present case a positive seal is provided directly in the spray cavity of the aerosol operating button, this comprising a cap having a continuous interengaging sealing lip which is snapped into position in a corresponding groove in the spray cavity to seal the orifice, as opposed to attempting to provide a seal of the entire over-cap which leaves a volume of air inside the cap even though the same should be sealed to the spray container. The aforesaid cap in closed position automatically seals the spray cavity in the operating button. Associated therewith is a molded trigger which upon being pressed when the sealing cap is open, operates the device to spray the contents. Both the cap and the trigger may be provided in a single piece in an overcap which is permanently connected to the spray container in overlying position with respect to the spray button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the invention, with the sealing cap in closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the sealing cap in open condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the opposite side of the cap and showing the trigger;

3,510,029 Patented May 5, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings the numeral 10 indicates a. spray container, e.g., a can which ordinarily has a dome 12 on which is mounted a crimped member of ordinary construction slidingly receiving a stem 16 actuated by the usual aerosol operating button 18 to open the usual aerosol valve not shown. There is a product passage 20 in the button and the orifice therefor 22 leading to the spray cavity 24, all as well known in the prior art. When the operating button 18 is depressed, the valve opens and the product to be sprayed passes through the passage at 20 out the orifice 22 in spray form.

This invention contemplates the use of an ove-cap generally indicated at 26. This over-cap is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and it is secured in any way desired around the periphery thereof, i.e., at 28, to the top of the spray can 10 in any manner desired but generally covering the dome 12, the button 18, etc. This spray cap is generally circular in the area at 28 or conforms to the container upon which it is mounted rising up in a general truncated cone shape. It terminates in a pair of spaced separate members 30 and 32 having between them at a portion thereof a top wall part 34 which overlies the crimped member 14 in part, and which may be provided with a stop at 36 positioning the same with relation there-to when the over-cap is assembled to the container. At the rear of the over-cap there is a smaller partial top wall or the like 38 and between these walls the over-cap is open except for the trigger member and the closure cap for the spray cavity to be described.

The trigger member and the closure cap can be molded in a single piece. There is a member at the extreme end of the trigger member which is indicated at 40 and it has an integral molded thin hinge 42 connecting the same to an elongated main part of the trigger 44. The member 40 is fixed in position with respect to the cover member 38 and the side walls indicated at 46, FIG. 3, of the overcap. The main body of the trigger at 44 extends upwardly, see particularly FIG. 4, extending into a flat top portion 48 which has a flange or the like 50 conforming to the shape of the button 18 and receiving the same therein as clearly shown in FIG. 4. The top member 48 extends forwardly and it terminates in the sealing closure cap 52 which has a molded hinge 54 connected to the top member 48 and a ledge or operating member 56 by which it can be moved from the dotted line position for instance of FIG. 4 to the solid line position thereof. In both of these positions the cap is held by dimples formed as by for instance at 58 to hold the same in the closed solid line position and as at 60 to releasably hold the same open in the dotted line position thereof.

In addition to the above, the sealing cap 52 is provided with a rearwardly or downwardly extending button-like member conforming to the section of the spray cavity 24 which is usually circular. This member is generally indicated at 62 FIG. 5 and it has a forward bevel 64 for snapping easily into the entrance to the spray cavity and it also has about it a continuous rib or ridge 66 which snaps into a corresponding continuous groove or trough 68 in the interior surface of the spray cavity. When the cap 52 is in its closed position as in FIGS. 1 and 4, the spray cavity is hermetically sealed and the atmosphere is excluded to prevent coagulation or drying of the spray products in the passage orifice 22.

The entire trigger and cap device is mounted on the member 40 but closely engages the button 18, and the side edges of the parts are closely associated with the side walls 46 and 70 of the spaced over-cap members 30 and 32.

In the use of the device, the finger is inserted under the ledge 56 to easily snap the sealing cap 52 above the dimple at 60 to the dotted line position of FIG. 4, whereupon a pressure down upon the top 48 or in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4, on the molded trigger member 44, causes the button 18 to become depressed and the spray valve to be opened and the spraying action takes place. When the device has been used to the extent desired, it is merely necessary to push down on the cap 52 moving it from the dotted line position to the solid line position where it snaps into the spray cavity as above described, hermetically sealing the same. In this condition of the parts, the device is not operable because the finger member '56 will be stopped by the abutment at 72 forming a part of the fixed portion of the over-cap 26.

I claim:

1. An over-cap for a spray container having an actuator button in which there is a spray orifice,

said over-cap comprising an enclosure having an open portion for application to the spray container in position substantially overlying the actuator button, a gap in the over-cap, a trigger member associated with the gap, said trigger member being movable relative to the enclosure, means on the trigger member engaging the actuator button, said trigger member being operable to actuate the button,

a sealing cap on the trigger member, means movably mounting the sealing cap on the trigger member, said sealing cap closing the spray orifice in one position thereof relative to the trigger member and exposing the orifice in another position thereof relative to the trigger member.

2. The over-cap of claim 1 including means pivotally connecting the trigger member and sealing cap.

3. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein the trigger and sealing cap are integral.

4. The over-cap of claim -1 including interengaging sealing means on the sealing cap and in the area of the button adjacent the orifice.

5. The over-cap of claim 1 including a spray cavity surrounding the orifice and interengaging sealing means on the sealing cap and in the spray cavity.

6. The over-cap of claim 1 including a spray cavity surrounding the orifice and interengaging sealing means on the sealing cap and in the spray cavity, said sealing means being continuous.

7. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein the trigger member has a free end portion and the sealing cap is hingedly mounted on the trigger member at said free end portion adjacent the orifice in the button.

8. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a pair of generally upright Walls defining the gap, said trigger member being located between said walls.

9. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a pair of generally upright Walls defining the gap, said trigger member being located between said walls and substantially filling the gap from wall to wall, at least in part.

10. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a pair of generally upright walls defining the gap, said trigger member being located between said walls, said trigger member having a portion overlying the button, the sealing cap being in extension of th trigger member.

11. The over-cap of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a pair of generally upright walls defining the gap, said trigger member being located between said walls and means fringing the trigger member at one end thereof to the over-cap, the sealing cap being located at the opposite end of the trigger member.

12. The over-cap of claim 1 including a spray cavity surrounding the orifice and interengaging sealing means on the sealing cap and in the spray cavity, said sealing means being continuous and comprising a rib and trough construction, the rib being yieldable to snap into the trough.

13. The over-cap of claim 1 including means inhibiting the button-actuating motion of the trigger member when the sealing cap is in position closing the spray orifice.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,982,448 5/1961 Leonard et a1. 222-402.12X 3,154,224 10/1964 Wakeman 222--4'0 2.12 3,169,673 2/1965 Focht 222--402.l2 X

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,510,029 May 5, 1970 Ross L. Doyle It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as show below:

"ove-cap" should read over-cap Column 2, line 20,

hould read trigger member Column 3, line 40, "trigger and" s and (SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting ()fficel' Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. 

